Atoning for Her Sins

Later that night, while I was packing my things in the apartment, my phone buzzed with a notification. Someone I had specially followed had just uploaded a new post.

I opened the app and found a new video of Tanner and Willow. They were on the beach, kissing under a grand display of fireworks.

This scene caused memories to rush over me like a tidal wave.

Back when we were in love, Tanner had promised to give me the most romantic fireworks show and propose to me beneath the flickering display.

I put my phone away and stared at the bags I had packed. My heart felt empty now.

I always thought I would spend my life with Tanner, so I had bought many things to decorate the home of my dreams. But in reality, leaving this place wasn't as hard as I had imagined it to be.

After having most of my luggage shipped, I spent the night in a hotel with a suitcase containing several pieces of clothes.

Next morning, I headed straight to the company.

When I entered my office, I found that my belongings had been carelessly thrown into a corner, and the entire room was decorated in pink.

I glanced outside, and my colleagues quickly avoided my gaze. They pretended to be busy with work until a commanding voice broke the silence.

"Hurry up! Throw that desk away, too! It's awful! What outdated tastes!"

Willow appeared, looking smug as she regarded me.

"Sorry, Tanner said this office is mine starting today. I saw that you hadn't come in, so I tidied up your things a little. Old lady, you don't mind, do you?"

I cast her a cold glance and ignored her. Instead, I crouched in the corner, searching for an important trophy. Nonetheless, I couldn't find it anywhere.

I looked up at Willow. "Where did you hide my trophy?"

She pulled out a cylindrical glass trophy from the desk.

"Are you talking about this cheap thing?"

I reached out for it. "Give it back to me."

Willow gazed at me, her eyes full of malice. As her red lips curled in a mocking smile, I felt a bad premonition and was about to grab the trophy.

The next moment, the trophy was smashed against the floor.

I stared at the glass shards, stunned. Then, my suppressed anger exploded, and I shoved her away.

"Why the hell did you break it?"

This trophy was the first national innovation award I had received during college, and it was the very project that helped Tanner's company get off the ground in the early stages. But eventually, due to a lack of clients, I gave up my passion for research and turned to sales instead.

Since then, the trophy had always been placed in the most visible spot in my office, reminding me not to give up on my original aspirations.

I had planned to propose to Tanner, asking him to let me step back from his business and return to research after we got married.

I crouched down to pick up the metal base. It had my name and the honor inscribed on it. Even though it was broken, I wanted to gather the pieces.

Behind me, I suddenly heard Willow sobbing and Tanner's furious voice.

"Katherine! What did you do?"

Startled, I looked back to see Willow crying as she threw herself into Tanner's arms. There was a smear of blood on her elbow where the glass had cut her.

"It hurts so much, Tanner…"

Tanner gently blew on her wounded elbow in distress, then glared at me. He bellowed, "Katherine, how could you be so vicious? Was the good-girl act just for show?

"Letting Willow take your place was my decision. You couldn't do anything to me, so you take it out on a young, innocent girl like her!"

I stood up at this moment. Looking at them, I recalled that I had only pushed Willow, but I hadn't shoved her to the floor. At the very least, I was still aware of my surroundings.

"It wasn't me," I said.

"Who else could it be, then? Don't you dare say you didn't push her! You think I'm blind? You're clearly guilty yet still trying to deny it!"

Hearing the argument, my colleagues quietly peeked in.

"Apologize to Willow right now! You have no sense of decency for someone working in sales for so many years. Did you close all your deals by drinking with clients and sleeping with them?"

I tightened my grip on the trophy's metal base. I felt utterly humiliated, and my frustration spilled over. Since I was leaving anyway, I decided to speak my mind now.

With red-rimmed eyes, I yelled, "Tanner, how could you insult me? Where's your conscience? I have sacrificed so much for this company, even if it meant drinking until my stomach bled and waking up in the middle of the night to revise proposals!

"You're blind, alright. Not only are you brushing aside all my hard work and achievements, but you're slandering me too! Who told you all that? Was it Willow? Why do you trust her so much when you've only known her for half a year?"

With that, I glared at him.

Tanner was left speechless as he hadn't expected me to stand up to him. His face turned dark, and he seemed upset at being made to look like a fool in front of his staff.

I didn't want to deal with them anymore. I turned to leave when suddenly, Tanner grabbed my arm forcefully.

A hard slap landed on my face, and a ringing sound echoed in my ears.

Everyone froze in shock.

"Are you trying to run after hurting Willow? Dream on! Willow and I have only known each other for half a year, but she's more pure and innocent than you are!

"A young graduate like Willow can't beat someone like you who mingles around with men for years. I believe she wouldn't lie to me. Besides, she's wounded, while you're unscathed!"

I held my cheek and stared at Tanner in disbelief. My heart felt a sharp pang of bitterness. When we fought in the past, he'd never raised his hand against me. But now, he had crossed that line for Willow.

There was no greater sorrow than a dead heart. Everything I wanted to say was stuck in my throat. At this point, I no longer wanted to argue.

"Tanner, please don't argue with Katherine because of me."

Willow, still pretending to be fragile in Tanner's arms, let out a sniffle. "My elbow really hurts…"

Tanner frantically picked her up. Before leaving, he cast me a final glance and ordered, "I'm transferring you to Westridge. You can return once you've reflected on your actions. Pack your things and get lost."